Pollinator Plants: Mid-Atlantic Region
POLLINATOR PLANTS Mid-Atlantic Region
Wingstem, New England aster, and smooth penstemon The Mid-Atlantic Region encompasses North Carolina, shrubs, and trees into any landscape promotes local biological Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, diversity by providing shelter and food for wildlife. Native Pennsylvania, and Washington, D.C. High regional variation plants are better adapted to regional climate cycles, do not in topography, soils, and climate has resulted in tremendous need fertilizers, and are less likely to become weedy. ecological diversity, ranging from the salt marshes and This guide features regional native plants that are highly wetlands of the eastern Coastal Plain, to the spectacularly attractive to pollinators and are well-suited for small-scale species-rich deciduous forests and riparian communities of plantings in gardens, on business and school campuses, in the Piedmont foothills and Appalachian Mountains. urban greenspaces, and in farm field borders. In addition to Corresponding to this striking diversity of plant supporting native bees and honey bees, many of these plants communities is an equally remarkable range of pollinators, attract nectar-seeking butterflies, moths, and hummingbirds, including nineteen bumble bee species and thousands of and some are host plants for butterfly and moth caterpillars. other species of native bees, butterflies, hover flies, flower- With few exceptions, these species occur broadly across the visiting beetles, wasps, and moths. As a group, these and other region and can be purchased as seed or transplants. Please pollinators maintain healthy, productive plant communities, consult regional Floras, the Biota of North America’s North provide food that sustains wildlife, and play an essential role American Plant Atlas (http://bonap.net/napa), or the USDA’s in crop production. In the Mid-Atlantic, several important PLANTS database (http://plants.usda.gov) for details on pollinators, including the rusty-patched bumble bee (Bombus species’s distributions in your area. affinis; federally endangered), the yellowbanded bumble bee (B. terricola), and the bronze copper butterfly Lycaena( hyllus), Our Bring Back the Pollinators campaign is based on four principles: are threatened by habitat loss, including dramatic declines in 1. Grow a variety of pollinator-friendly flowers; native plant communities needed to support these animals. 2. Protect and provide bee nest sites and caterpillar host plants; Providing wildflower-rich habitat is the most significant 3. Avoid using pesticides, especially insecticides; and action you can take to support pollinators. Adult bees, 4. Spread the word! butterflies, and other pollinators require nectar as their You can participate by taking the Pollinator Protection Pledge and primary food source. Female bees also collect pollen as food registering your habitat on our for their offspring. Native plants, which are adapted to local nationwide map at: soils and climates, are usually the best sources of nectar and www.bringbackthepollinators.org. pollen for native pollinators. Incorporating native wildflowers, 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
Max. This list of pollinator plants for the Mid-Atlantic Region was produced by the Xerces® Society. Bloom Period Common Name Scientific Name Flower Color Water Needs Notes Height* For more information about pollinator conservation, please visit www.xerces.org.
L: low; M: (Feet) Forbs medium; H: high All species are perennials, unless otherwise noted. *Max. Height is an average, individual plants may vary. 1 Lanceleaf coreopsis Coreopsis lanceolata yellow 2 M This early bloomer can hold its own among grasses and taller species; bees and syrphid flies are common visitors Early 2 Smooth penstemon Penstemon digitalis white 2 M Semi-evergreen; prolific nectar producer; visited by many butterflies, moths, and bees, including honey bees
Early–Mid 3 Wild indigo Baptisia tinctoria yellow 3 L Fixes nitrogen that can be used by other plants; attracts a wide diversity of pollinators, including the beautiful Io moth (Automeris io)
4 Butterfly milkweed Asclepias tuberosa orange 3 L Host plant for monarchs (Danaus plexippus); nectar source for many bees; swamp and common milkweed are also recommended
5 Great blue lobelia Lobelia siphilitica blue 3 H An exceptional bumble bee (Bombus spp.) plant; excellent for rain gardens; tolerates heavy shade
6 Joe Pye weed Eutrochium fistulosum pink 7 H Both E. maculatum and E. fistulosum (pictured above) attract butterflies and bees prefer moist soils, and tolerate partial shade Mid 7 Mountain mint Pycnanthemum spp. white 3 M Mountain mints have fragrant foliage, and are visited by blue and copper butterflies, bees, and more
8 Purple coneflower Echinacea purpurea purple 4 M Visitors include bees in the genera Bombus, Melissodes, and Svastra, and the leafcutter bee (Megachile pugnata)
9 Wild bergamot Monarda fistulosa purple 4 M Hawk moths, hummingbirds, and long-tongued bumble bees (such as Bombus pensylvanicus) are common visitors
10 Field thistle Cirsium discolor purple 6 M Not to be confused with non-native thistles; a now uncommon but important plant for butterflies and bumble bees
Mid–Late 11 Marsh blazing star Liatris spicata purple 4 M Blazing stars (Liatris spp.) support a broad community of butterflies; including monarchs, swallowtails, skippers, and sulfurs
12 Wingstem Verbesina alternifolia yellow 6 H A major honey producer and great as a shade-tolerant rain garden or wetland edge plant; may be hard to find in nurseries
13 Bottle gentian Gentiana andrewsii blue 2 M Pollinated almost exclusively by bumble bees, which pry open the closed flowers and climb inside to collect pollen
14 New England aster Symphyotrichum novae-angliae purple 6 M One of the latest fall-blooming plants; frequented by honey bees, pre-hibernation bumble bee queens, and monarchs
15 New York ironweed Vernonia noveboracensis purple 7 H Tall, upright plant, great for back borders; attracts many butterflies and bees, including some specialist long-horned bees Late 16 Seaside goldenrod Solidago sempervirens yellow 6 L Highly attractive to bumble bees, monarchs, and other butterflies, especially when planted in large clumps; tolerates high salinity
17 Sneezeweed Helenium autumnale yellow 2 H Striking flowers with domed centers and distinctive tri-lobed rays; attracts leafcutter bees, bumble bees, and honey bees
18 Wrinkleleaf goldenrod Solidago rugosa yellow 4 M Goldenrods are frequented by beneficial solitary wasps, pollen-eating soldier beetles, hover flies, and much more Shrubs and Trees
19 Cockspur hawthorn Crataegus crus-galli white 20 L Tough native tree that attracts bumble bees, honey bees, and mining bees (Andrena spp.), as well as songbirds
20 Eastern redbud Cercis canadensis pink 30 M Showy flowers create a dramatic display in spring; pollinated primarily by long-tongued bees Early 21 Highbush blueberry Vaccinium corymbosum white/ pink 12 M–H Well-loved by humans, and also provides food for mining bees, mason bees (Osmia spp.), and long-tongued bumble bees
22 Pussy willow Salix discolor yellow/ green 15 M–H Silky gray catkins open into flowers that provide spring forage for bees; a host plant for mourning cloak butterfliesNymphalis ( antiopa)
Early–Mid 23 Basswood Tilia americana cream 60 M Also called "bee tree" for its abundance of very fragrant, nectar-rich flowers that are extremely attractive to bees
Mid 24 New Jersey tea Ceanothus americanus white 4 M Pollinator magnet that attracts many species of flies, wasps, bees, and butterflies; slow growing and prone to deer browsing 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Planting for Success Additional Resources Sun Exposure Attracting Native Pollinators Most pollinator-friendly plants prefer sites that receive full sun Our best-selling book highlights the role throughout most of the day and are mostly open, with few large of native pollinators in natural ecosystems, trees. A southern exposure can provide the warmest habitat, but is gardens, and farms. This comprehensive guide not required. includes information about pollinator ecology, detailed profiles of over 30 common bee genera, Plant Diversity and habitat designs for multiple landscapes with Choosing a variety of plants with overlapping and sequential bloom over 50 pages of fully illustrated regional plant periods will provide food for pollinators throughout the seasons. lists. Available in bookstores everywhere, and through www.xerces.org/books. Habitat Size and Shape Habitat patches that are bigger and closer to other patches are The Xerces Pollinator Conservation Resource Center generally better than those that are smaller and more isolated from Our Pollinator Conservation Resource Center includes regional one another. However, even a small container garden can attract and information on pollinator plants, habitat conservation guides, support pollinators! nest management instructions, bee identification and monitoring resources, and directories of native pollinator plant nurseries. Planting Layout www.xerces.org/pollinator-resource-center Flowers clustered into clumps of one species will attract more pollinators than individual plants scattered through a habitat patch. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center Where space allows, plant clumps of the same species within a few The Xerces Society has collaborated with the Lady Bird Johnson feet of one another. Wildflower Center to create lists of plants that are attractive to native bees, bumble bees, honey bees, and other beneficial insects, as well Seeds or Transplants as plant lists with value as nesting materials for native bees. These It is usually cheaper to establish large habitat areas from seed; lists can be narrowed down with additional criteria such as state, however, seeding native wildflowers on a large-scale is an art unto soil moisture, bloom time, and sunlight requirements. The Center’s itself. For step-by-step instructions, see Establishing Pollinator website also features image galleries, how-to articles on native plant Meadows from Seed and the Pollinator Habitat Installation Guides gardening, and more. listed in the Additional Resources section. For smaller areas like www.wildflower.org/conservation_pollinators gardens, transplants are usually easier to use and will bloom faster than plants started from seed. Establishing Pollinator Meadows from Seed These guidelines provide step-by-step instructions for establishing Protect Pollinators from Insecticides pollinator meadows from seed in areas that range in size from a small backyard garden up to an acre. Topics include: site selection, Although dependent on timing, rate, and method of application, all site preparation, plant selection, planting techniques, and ongoing insecticides have the potential to poison or kill pollinators. Systemic management. insecticides in particular have received significant attention for their www.xerces.org/establishing-pollinator-meadows-from-seed potential role in pollinator declines (imidacloprid, dinotefuran, clothianidin, and thiamethoxam are examples of systemic insecticides Pollinator Habitat Installation Guides now found in various farm and garden products). Because plants These regional guidelines, developed in collaboration with the absorb systemic insecticides as they grow, the chemicals become USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, provide in-depth distributed throughout plant tissues and are sometimes present in practical guidance on how to install nectar and pollen habitat for pollen and nectar. You can help protect pollinators by avoiding the bees in the form of wildflower meadow plantings or linear rows use of these and other insecticides. Before purchasing plants from of native flowering shrubs. Region-specific seed mixes and plant nurseries and garden centers, be sure to ask whether they have been recommendations are included in the appendices of each guide. treated with insecticides. To read more about threats to pollinators www.xerces.org/pollinator-habitat-installation-guides from pesticides, please visit: www.xerces.org/pesticides.
Acknowledgments Support, background information, and other contributions to this publication were generously provided by Rachael Winfree’s lab at Rutgers University, Dave Biddinger’s lab at Penn State University, Jim Gillis with the Pennsylvania NRCS, Ernst Conservation Seeds, The Ceres Foundation, CS Fund, Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund, Turner Foundation, Inc., Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education, and the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service. Written by Nancy Lee Adamson, Brianna Borders, Jessa Kay Cruz, Sarah Foltz Jordan, Kelly Gill, Jennifer Hopwood, Eric Lee-Mäder, Ashley Minnerath, and Mace Vaughan. Designed by Kaitlyn Rich. Formatted by Sara Morris. PHOTO CREDITS: The Xerces Society/Nancy Lee Adamson: 1, 2 (inside), 6, 7, 11, 12 (inside), 18, 20, 21; Uli Lorimer (dogtooth77)*: 3, 10, 14 (cover), 24; Chesapeake Conservation Landscaping Council*: 15; John Beetham (Dendroica cerulea)*: 9, 16; The Xerces Society/Kelly Gill: 8, 17; Dan Mullen*: 19, 23; Tom Potterfield*: 2 (cover), 4, 5, 12 (cover), 14 (inside); Kristin Shoemaker*: 22. *Via www.flickr.com. Photographs remain under the copyright of the photographer. The Xerces Society is an equal opportunity employer and provider. © 2017 by The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. Xerces® is a trademark registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
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